African Fat Tailed Gecko Not Eating

Question
Hi Tracie,

I'm worried about my african fat tailed gecko. He has stopped eating and has lost a significant amount of weight I got him about 4 years now as a hand me down, so I am not sure on his exact age, and he is usually a very lively and healthy little guy. He usually kept at a normal weight, and even though he would lose some during brumation, it was never this bad. We keep him in a 20 gallon tank, and monitor his humidity often, with a low UV lamp (70 watts I think) which we turn on regularly depending on the temperature. (We live in the desert, so even during the winter, the temperature is quite close to 70 degrees). He usually comes out of it during February/March and begins to eat a little more, but this year, he hasn't, and he has lost a significant amount of weight compared to previous years. He loves his crickets, and is usually a very good hunter, but now he isn't even touching them. His coloration looks normal, but his tail has thinned out. I worry that it may be stress or disease.  I don't want my little guy to suffer.

Thank you so much,
Andrea

Answer
Hello Andrea,

I am sorry to hear about your fat tailed gecko.  They are so sweet.
Do you have any pictures of him?
I think the first thing you should do is try to get a fecal done on him, if possible.  Are you where you can get a fecal done on him to see if he has worms or parasites?
If not, you could try to deworm him.  Then, if that helps him out then that was most likely the problem, if not, then it will be something else possibly more serious.  
They can live upwards to around 20 years I believe.  
What are his temperatures currently, do you have a hot spot of around 88-90 for him?  Do you have an undertank heater in use 24/7 for him along with a moist humid hide/cave on the warm side?

If he is not eating, you will need to intervene for awhile.  Try using some chicken, turkey or beef baby food to help him out.  Use a plastic syringe or plastic dropper to get the food into him.  Try dripping it onto the end of his nose first to see if he will lick that off.  If not, you will need to use a swab to get his mouth open so you can quickly squirt in some food.

Let me know how he is doing.
Tracie